Shimla: Hills near the popular tourist destinations of Shimla and Manali on Thursday saw light snowfall - the season's first spell, a weather official said here, triggering a rush of tourists.

Tourist spots near Shimla, like honeymooners' paradise Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda experienced snowfall but the flakes melted within few hours. The hills near Manali like Kothi and Marhi also have experienced snowfall, an official of the Met Office said.

The majestic Rohtang Pass, located 52 km from Manali at an altitude of 13,050 feet that lies on the Manali-Leh National Highway-21, saw more than one foot of snow. The official said the higher reaches in Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur and Kullu districts experienced moderate snowfall.

"There are chances of snowfall in high hills till Friday as western disturbances are active the regions," he said. Western disturbance is an atmospheric system that causes rains and snowfall.

Popular tourist destinations Shimla, Kasauli, Manali, Dharamsala, Chamba and Dalhousie have been experiencing intermittent rains. Due to cloudy conditions, the minimum temperatures across the state have increased by two to three degrees Celsius since Wednesday.

The state capital, which saw mild rain, recorded a low of 6.1 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 0.7 degree Celsius in Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district, 3.6 degrees Celsius in Manali, 1.5 degrees Celsius in Kalpa in Kinnaur district and 7.6 degrees Celsius in Dharamsala. Keylong and Kalpa have also experienced snow.